Draft attachment for hames.



PATENTED APR. 3, 1906,

P. J. MARTIN.

DRAFT ATTACHMENT FOR HAMES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20,1905.

WlT/VESSES:

PAT

FREDERICK J. MARTIN, OF PUTNEY, VERMONT.

DRAFT ATTACHMENT FOR HAIVIES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratented April 3, 1906.

Application filed June 20,1905. Serial No. 266,096.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK J. MARTIN,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Putney, in the countyof TVindham and State of Vermont, have invented a new and Improved DraftAttachment for Hames, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates more particularly to improved means for connectingthe tug straps or ends of traces with the hames for heavy harness.

It is well known to harness-makers and horsemen that in animal-harnessthe point of draft strain should be at a proper distance above the strapconnection between the lower ends of the harness, so that such strain isimposed upon the padding of the collar at a point that insures a properpressure of the latter upon the shoulders of the draft-animal, and thispoint for imposing pressure varies in different animals. To enable aconvenient change to be made and to adapt the harness for comfortableservice, I have devised the improved attachment for connecting the frontends of tug-straps with the harness.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination. ofparts, as is hereinafter described, and defined in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved. draft attachment mountedupon a hame and connecting a tug-strap therewith. Fig. 2 is an enlarged,partlysectiona1, front view of the improved draft attachment seen in thedirection of the arrow :0 in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 is a transverse sectionalview substantially on the line 3 8 in Fig. 2.

In the drawings, which show the construction and application of theimprovement, 5 indicates the main portion of one of a pair of hameshaving the usual form, made of hard wood, and reinforced on the frontedge by a metal strap-plate 6, which is shaped as a clip at the lowerend of the hame-body and holds a buckle-frame 7, loosely securedthereon, which in service is engaged by a strap connection that couplesthe lower ends of a pair of the hames together. The hame is furnishedwith the usual ring connections 8 and 8 that are loosely secured on thestrap-plate 6 for an engagement therewith of portions of a leatherharness, (not shown,) and as these details are not a portion of theinvention a further description of the same is omitted.

While different means for mounting the improved draft attachment uponharness may be employed, it is here shown as loosely mounted upon theordinary tug-strap conneetionli that is aflixed upon the hame 5, asshown in Fig. 1, and comprises the following details. Two eyebolts 9 9are affixed in or upon the body 5 of the hame at a suitable distanceabove the buckle-frame 7, said bolts, which are spaced apart anddisposed so that their eyes 9' are alined, receiving in the latter apintle-bolt 10, that is removably secured in place and ordinarilyaffords means for detachablv connecting one end of a tugstrap with ahame. Furthermore, a breastring 11 is usually mounted loosely upon thelower eyebolt 9 for service in the ordinary way.

The improved means for loosely securing one end of a tug strap, such asA, upon a hame, so as to rock freely, is constructed essentially asfollows: A bracket-plate 12 is provided with two cars 12 which areprojected from the same side thereof and spaced apart sufficiently toslide loosely between the adjacent faces of the ring-eyes 9 and in saidears alined perforations are formed, which receive the pintle-bolt 10,thus hinging the bracket-plate upon the eyebolts 9 9. face of thebracket-plate 12 opposite that whereon the ears 12 are placed alongitudinal channel a is formed at its center of width. In the channela is loosely fitted a flat tongue a, formed on the otherwise flatsurface of one side of a complementary bracket-plate 13, from whichproject laterally two similar lugs 13, each having a perforation nearits free end, these perforations in the lugs being axially alined. Inthe perforated lugs 13 is secured. a coupling-bolt 1 1, whereon ismounted a tubular lining-sleeve 1 1 between the lugs 13, said sleeveserving as an antifriction roller or lining that engages the bight A ofthe looped end. of a trace or tug-strap A.

In the bracket-plate 13 a longitudinal slot 1) is formed, wherein isloosely fitted a clamping-bolt 15, screwed into a threaded perforationin the bracket-plate 12, formed near its center of length, a washer I)being strung upon the clamping-bolt, so that its head 15 will bear uponthe washer when the bolt 15 is adjusted for clamping the bracket-plate13 upon the bracket-plate 12.

In the IIO It will be seen that by means of the im provement the draftstrain from a pull on the tug-strap A will be at a normal point when thebracket-plate 13 is flush at its ends with corresponding ends of thebracketplate 12. i If, however, it is found necessary to alter the lineof draft strain to either raise or lower it on the collar whereon thehames are mounted, this can be quickly and accurately effected byslackening the bolt let and slidably adjusting the bracket plate 13 onthe mating bracket-plate 12- to cause the line of draft to be positionedas the collar and draft-animal may require for a proper engagement ofthe collar with the shoulders of the beast, this point of adjustmentbeing secured by a clamping adjustment of the coupling-bolt 14.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A hame attachment, comprising a bracket-plate,means for securing-said plate on a hame, a mating bracket-plate havinglugs thereon, means for holding the plate having the lugs adjustedendwise on the mating plate, and means for rockably securing the end ofa tug-strap or the like upon the lu s.

3. A hame attachment, comprising a bracket-plate, having a channelformed longitudinally in one flat face, a mating bracketplate having atongue on one face, thatloosely i occupies said channel, means forholding the plates secured together and permitting longitudinaladjustment of one plate on the other, means forloosely connecting one ofsaid bracket-plates with a tug-strap or the like, and means for securingthe other bracketplate on a hame.

3. The combination with a hame, a reinforcing metal strap-plate thereon,a pair of spaced eyebolts projected from the strapplate and apintle-bolt engaging the eyes of said bolts, of a bracket-plate groovedin one side and having ears projected from the other side thereof, saidears having perforations engaged by the pintlebolt, a matingbracketplate having a tongue engaging the groove and a longitudinal slotin the tongue and body of said plate, a clamping-bolt engaging the slotand screwing into the grooved bracketplate, lugs projecting laterallyfiom the slotted bracket-plate and having alined perforations therein,and a coupling-bolt passing through the lugs and engaging the looped endof a tug-strap.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK J. MARTIN.

Vitnesses:

F. L. HoUeHToN, A. J. AYER.

